When Summer Comes by Brenda Novak Read Free Book Online Page A

First she’d used her pregnancy to get him to propose. Then she’d aborted the baby without consulting him when he wouldn’t buy her the mansion she wanted. It was the most astonishing act of spite Callie had ever seen. She still couldn’t bear to look at Noelle, who was once again working at A Damsel’s Delights, a clothing and handmade-jewelry boutique in town.
    Fortunately for Kyle, that episode of his life was over. Callie thought it was also fortunate for him that she’d given up on love and marriage; she had no expectations where he was concerned. She didn’t have time to start a family. Even if she found the right man, she wouldn’t want to get romantically involved, wouldn’t want to hurt a partner by dragging him through what could easily turn out to be her death.
    “The change in you...it happened about the time we first slept together,” Kyle pressed.
    No, it had happened precisely six weeks after. They’d both drunk a little too much and slept together on New Year’s Eve. During the next four weeks she’d begun feeling poorly—tired, nauseous, feverish. She’d assumed she had the flu but the symptoms wouldn’t go away. Then she became jaundiced and, before people could start to remark on it, she’d decided to drive to Sacramento and get checked out at a twenty-four-hour medical center. She must’ve had some inkling that it was serious, or she wouldn’t have gone to such pains to avoid the local doctor. Still, it was a bombshell when, on Valentine’s Day, a physician from that clinic called with the news.
    When she didn’t speak, Kyle said, “I can’t help but assume it’s what we’ve done that—”
    “Kyle, you have nothing to worry about,” she broke in. “There’s no blame here. I want you to remember that, okay?”
    She’d grown too serious. Her intensity made him even more suspicious, but before he could respond, Levi returned with her phone. Hearing his tread on the scarred wooden floor of the old kitchen, she whirled around to face him. “Any luck?”
    When his eyes shifted from her to Kyle, Callie felt herself blush. She feared he already understood more about what was going on between them than the group they socialized with so often.
    “The police have it,” he said. “They picked it up probably an hour before you got there.”
    “Too bad I missed it. But at least it wasn’t stolen.” She didn’t ask how much the impound fees would be. She doubted he had the money to pay them and didn’t want to put him on the spot in front of Kyle. Besides, she felt partially responsible for his loss, since she was the one who’d told the officers about it.
    “I’ve got to get back to work.” Kyle looked at Levi. “Want me to drive you to the impound lot?”
    Levi shook his head. “No need. I’m not ready to go there yet. But if you’re heading toward town, I’ll hitch a ride as far as you’re going.”
    He wasn’t asking for any special consideration. That seemed to soften Kyle up. “I can take you wherever you’d like to go.”
    With barely a wince to give away what the movement cost him, Levi hauled his bag over his shoulder as if he might not be coming back. “I saw a gas station a few miles back.”
    “The Gas-N-Go?” Kyle said.
    He nodded. “Anywhere close to that will be fine.”
    Finished with the dishes, Callie dried her hands. “What are you planning to do there?”
    “Find work,” he said, and turned away.
    She stopped him. “You can’t work! Not yet. You’re covered in stitches.”
    He didn’t seem to think that mattered. “I’ll live.”
    “Wait.” She sent Kyle a glance that warned him not to interfere. “I could use some help around here.”
    Levi’s eyes narrowed skeptically. “Doing what? ”
    “My parents want to sell the place. I told them I’d get it in shape.”
    “Which would include...”
    She could tell she’d caught his interest. “I’ve been meaning to repair and paint the barn, for one thing.” Her parents had bought